Auxiliary eyewear attachment apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for mounting auxiliary eyeglasses on conventional eyeglasses in which magnets having shaped surfaces are attached to appendages on the auxiliary eyeglasses mating with magnets having complimentary shaped surfaces mounted on the temple extensions of conventional eyeglasses. The magnets on the auxiliary eyeglasses are mounted in sockets formed on the appendages on the auxiliary eyeglass frame fit beneath the temple extensions on the conventional eyeglasses frame to hold the auxiliary frames in place solely by the magnetic attractive force. The shaped surfaces of the magnets mate when the auxiliary eyeglasses are mounted on the conventional eyeglasses. The magnets may be recessed in sockets formed on one side while the magnets extend out of the sockets on the other side. A wide variety of magnet shapes and configurations are possible. An additional unique feature is the inclusion of a reflective surface on a portion of the rear surface of the auxiliary eyeglass lenses to act as a rearview mirror for the wearer.

This is a Divisional application of prior application Ser. No.10/456,086, filed Jun. 6, 2003, now abandoned, which in turn is aContinuation-In-Part application of prior application Ser. No.09/184,694, filed Nov. 2, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,913; andContinuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 09/483,552, filed Jan. 14,2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,858.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to auxiliary eyewear attachment methods andapparatus, such as clip-on eyewear, and more particular relates to anauxiliary eye wear for attaching auxiliary sunglasses to conventionaleyeglasses.

2. Background Information

Auxiliary eyewear to convert conventional eyeglasses to sunglasses arevery popular. They allow the user to usually avoid the need for twoseparate prescription lenses. They can also be used, but lessfrequently, to attach auxiliary eyewear that can change the prescriptionof lenses. The more common use, however, is to add tinted lenses toconventional eyeglasses.

A number of different designs are available for auxiliary eyewearincluding clip-on eyewear, as well as auxiliary eyewear attachment usingmagnets. One method of attaching auxiliary eyewear is by clips. A methodof attaching auxiliary eyewear by clips is shown and described in U.S.application Ser. No. 08/510,797 filed Aug. 3, 1995 to the same inventoras the invention disclosed herein and incorporated herein by reference.Another patent describing a clip-on type of sunglasses is disclosed anddescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,571 issued Dec. 9, 1997 to Spencer etal. In these devices auxiliary eyewear is fastened to eyeglasses by aconventional clip system with one clipping engaging the temple whileother clips engage the conventional frame.

A newer and very popular method of attaching eyeglasses is by usingmagnets. One such method is disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No.4,070,105 of Meeker. In the Meeker patent the conventional frameincludes a magnetic material secured around the peripheral portionfacilitating attachment of auxiliary eyeglasses to the conventionaleyeglass frame.

Another method of attaching auxiliary eyeglasses using magnets isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,537 of Sadler having magnets secured totemporal portions of a conventional frame that mate with similar magnetsin auxiliary eyeglass frames. In the Meeker and Sadler patents themagnets are embedded in portions of the frames in a vertical orientationfor mating with similar magnets in the auxiliary eyeglasses. A problemwith this type of arrangement is that the auxiliary eyeglasses are heldin place in front of the conventional eyeglasses only by the strength ofthe magnets. There are no supporting members to prevent the auxiliaryeyeglasses from moving vertically relative to the conventional eyeglassframe. Therefore, when the auxiliary eyeglasses are used in somestrenuous activity such as jogging or exercising they can slide off andbecome detached from the conventional frame.

A design that solves this problem by having magnets in auxiliaryeyeglass extensions is disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No.5,568,207 of Chao. In this patent the problem of the eyeglasses slidingvertically and coming off the conventional eyeglasses is solved byextensions on the auxiliary eyeglasses having magnets that extend over(i.e. above) hinge connections for the temples of the conventionaleyeglasses. Magnets in the hinge connections mate with magnets in theextensions to hold the utility eyeglasses in place in front of theconventional eyeglasses. The extensions fitting over (i.e. above) thehinge portions of the conventional eyeglasses prevent the frames frommoving downward. It was thought that this combination of the extensionbeing above the temple connection in combination with the magnetprevents the auxiliary eyeglasses from moving downward relative to theconventional eyeglasses and being dislodged during strenuous activity.That is, the patent describes the prior art as being unable to provide apractical solution to attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventionaleyeglasses with magnets alone.

The problem with the eyeglasses disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No.5,568,207 is that the auxiliary eyeglass extensions must be carefullyplaced above the temple hinge connections. This makes it little moredifficult to attach the auxiliary frames to be sure that the extensionsare placed carefully above the hinge connections of the conventionaleyeglass. In most cases a wearer has to remove his conventionaleyeglasses to attach the auxiliary lenses.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide animproved method and apparatus for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses toconventional eyeglasses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved methodand apparatus for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventionaleyeglasses with magnets alone without any need for other support.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method ofattaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventional eyeglasses by appendageshaving magnets which fit below and mate with similar magnets in theconventional eyeglass extensions for attaching eyeglass temples.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmagnetic attachment of auxiliary eyeglasses to conventional eyeglasseswith magnets that are oriented to maximize the magnetic force to preventvertical or downward movement of the auxiliary eyeglasses.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliaryeyeglass magnetic connection having magnets that are orientedhorizontally to maximize the magnetic force in the vertical direction.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliaryeyeglass magnetic connection that has magnets mounted in sockets thatare slightly recessed to assist in alignment when the auxiliaryeyeglasses are mounted on a conventional eyeglass frame.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryeyeglasses mounted by magnets that have a variety of shapes and surfacesto assist in alignment and stabilization.

Another object of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryeyeglasses that include magnets for attachment to conventionaleyeglasses that have mating magnets in which at least one set of magnetsare permanent magnets.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryeyeglasses mounted by magnets that mate with similar magnets onconventional eyeglasses in which the magnets are in various shapes suchas concave/convex spherical; concave/convex conical; cylindricalmagnets; or ring-shaped magnets mating with domed magnets.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryeyeglasses that include a reflective coating on an outer peripheralportion to permit a wearer to have a view to the rear.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliaryeyeglass magnetic attachment that includes additional supporting clips,if desired.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryeyeglass magnetic attachment that includes a clip that conveniently fitsover the bridge of conventional eyeglass frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved auxiliaryeyeglass attachment method and apparatus that has a secure attachment byuse of magnets that effectively prevents the auxiliary eyeglasses frombecoming detached from the conventional eyeglass without a need foradditional support.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the auxiliary eyeglassesare attached to conventional eyeglasses by magnets in a manner thatprevents any downward or vertical movement that might cause theauxiliary eyeglasses to become detached. The method of attaching withmagnets disclosed herein also provides a much easier method of securingthe auxiliary glasses to the conventional eyeglasses as will bedescribed in greater detail hereinafter.

It was thought, for example, as disclosed in the patent of Chao, U.S.Pat. No. 5,568,207, that some support was needed to prevent theauxiliary eyeglasses from “moving downward” and coming off theconventional eyeglasses. However, what was not recognized was thatmagnets have a very strong attraction in a direction perpendicular totheir axis. That is, with very strong magnets it is difficult toseparate them by pulling them straight apart. Usually to separate them,particularly when they are very strong magnets, is by sliding them in adirection parallel to their mating surfaces. The reason for this is thatthe magnetic force is stronger in a direction perpendicular to thesurface (i.e. the poles) of the magnets than it is to a directionparallel to the surface. The inventor of the auxiliary eyeglassesdisclosed herein discovered that because of this principle correctlyoriented magnets can securely hold auxiliary eyeglasses on conventionalframes without the need for additional support. The key is to orient themagnets so that any vertical force applied to the auxiliary frames willbe perpendicular to the plane of the magnets.

To achieve this unique construction of appendages on opposite sides ofthe auxiliary frames including a socket for receiving magnets that areoriented with the plane of the magnets horizontal and the axis (i.e.poles) vertical or parallel to the auxiliary eyeglass frame.Complementary mating magnets are mounted in sockets on the hingeextensions on the conventional eyeglasses which are also oriented withthe plane of the magnets horizontal and their axis (i.e. poles) verticalor approximately parallel to the plane of the conventional eyeglass.

This arrangement means the auxiliary eyeglasses may be easily mounted onthe conventional eyeglasses without any fumbling or searching. The userdoesn't have to feel with your fingers or remove the eyeglasses to besure that the auxiliary eyeglass appendages are carefully aligned overthe temple mounting extensions as with the arrangement described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,568,207 referred to hereinabove. You simply place theauxiliary eyeglasses against the conventional eyeglasses with a slightupward motion and they easily attach when the magnets come into closeproximity. This arrangement makes for a securely attached auxiliaryeyeglasses and frame that is simple and easy to use without thedifficulties with the other auxiliary eyeglass designs.

One can easily see the auxiliary eyeglasses approaching the conventionaleyeglasses with the appendages on the auxiliary eyeglasses below thetemple of the conventional eyeglass frame. Then with a very slightupward movement the magnets attract and the auxiliary eyeglass frame isfirmly attached. This can be done simply and easily with one handwithout any feeling or fumbling that previous arrangements required. Theorientation is nearly automatic and doesn't require the more carefulalignment that is required of other magnetically fastened auxiliaryeyeglasses.

An optional but preferred embodiment of the invention includesmodification of the sockets for receiving the magnets that are mountedin the appendages in opposite sides of the utility frames and incomplementary sockets on temple extensions on the conventionaleyeglasses. In this embodiment the magnets in the sockets on either theauxiliary frames or the temple extensions on the conventional eyeglassesare recessed while the magnets in the opposite sockets are slightlyextended or raised. This provides a distinct and improved advantage inmating the magnets on the auxiliary frames with the magnets on thetemple extensions of the conventional eyeglasses.

The recessed magnets can be constructed in a variety of designs. In thepreferred design the magnets are solid cylinders recessed mounted on oneside and are extended or raised on the other. Optional constructionsinclude one side where the recessed magnet has a concave shaped surfacewhile the extended or raised magnet can have a convex-shaped surfacethat mates with the concave surface of the other magnet. Optionally therecessed area of one magnet can be a conical recess while the raisedsurface of the other magnet can be a cone shape. Still another option isto make one magnet as a hollow cylinder while the other magnet is asolid cylinder having a central raised boss that fits into the interiorof the hollow cylindrical or tubular magnet.

The unique and distinct advantage of the invention is the avoidance ofscratching the lenses with the appendages for holding the magnetsockets. The reason for this is that the auxiliary eyeglasses aremounted from below. With the recessed sockets a more firm attachment isachieved and alignment of the auxiliary eyeglass frames on theconventional eyeglass frames is almost automatic. One need only pressthe auxiliary eyeglass lenses against the conventional eyeglass lensesand with a slight upward movement, the raised magnets on one side almostautomatically slip into and seat in the recess in the complementarysocket. The raised and recessed magnets provide automatic alignment andadditional support against horizontal movement of the auxiliaryeyeglass.

In addition to the magnets being recessed in sockets to mate withmagnets that fit into the recesses, the magnets can come in a variety ofdesigns and forms. The magnets on the auxiliary eyeglasses may bepermanent magnets while the magnets on the conventional eyeglass framemay be “soft magnets” (i.e., magnetically attractive material or viceversa). Also the magnets can be in a variety of shapes. For example themagnets can be cylindrical with the magnets on one side having a concaveshape while the magnets on the other side have a convex shape matchingthe concave shape. Also they could be concave/convex spherical orconcave/convex conical.

Another shape is ring-shaped magnets on both sides with one siderecessed and the other side extendible. Alternately, the magnets couldbe ring-shaped on one side and cylindrical with a dome that fits insidethe cylindrical ring if desired. Many shapes and sizes are possible suchas rectangular, square, or triangular although possibly less desirablebecause they might not be as aesthetically pleasing.

In an optional but less preferred embodiment, clips can provideadditional support if desired. This, for example, might be used wherevery small magnets are used to attach the eyeglasses to the frames. Inthis embodiment a combination of the clip shown and described inapplicant's prior application Ser. No. 08/510,797 filed Aug. 3, 1995 orsimilar to that shown in the other patents can be attached to theauxiliary eyeglass frame. A clip would be incorporated into the bridgeof the auxiliary eyeglass frame which would fit over and engage theconventional eyeglass bridge. This would lock the auxiliary eyeglassframe on the conventional eyeglass frame with the magnets holding thesides in place.

In still another optional but less preferred embodiment, a magnet couldbe provided beneath the bridge of a conventional eyeglasses to mate witha similar magnet on top of the bridge of the auxiliary eyeglass frame.In this embodiment clips would be attached on top of or in the templeregion of the auxiliary eyeglass frame that would fit over and engagethe conventional eyeglass frame. In this embodiment the auxiliaryeyeglass would be mounted by sliding the clips over the conventionaleyeglass frame then pushing down on the bridge so that the magnet on thebridge slides under the bridge of the conventional eyeglass frame matingthe magnets. The magnets in the bridge hold the auxiliary eyeglassesonto the frame of the conventional eyeglasses with the clips securelylocking it in place.

In an optional embodiment of the invention, a portion of the lenses ofthe auxiliary eyeglasses are coated with a reflective material to allowa wearer to see to the rear without movement of the head. Where thelenses are substantially rectangular the reflective portion will beprovided in approximately a one-forth of an outer portion of the lensadjacent to where the temple attaches. Also optionally the reflectivesurface could be in an arcuate shape on the lens on an upper outerportion adjacent the temples. Each of these embodiments allows a wearera limited rearview to either side. This can be helpful to sports personssuch as bicycle riders and joggers for example to allow a clear view oftraffic approaching or behind them without turning their head away fromthe path they are on.

The reflective coating would preferably be on one outer peripheralquadrant on the back side of the lenses in the auxiliary eyeglasses. Ofcourse the reflective coating could be on the lenses of the conventionaleyeglasses but would be less desirable because it would be moreappropriate to use the reflective coating on the auxiliary sunglasslenses. However prescription clear lens with a partial tinting or evenwith an automatic darkening by exposure to light (i.e., sometimes knownas “photogray” lenses) might be possible.

The above and other novel features of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating the method and apparatus forattaching an auxiliary eyeglass frame to conventional eyeglasses withmagnets alone including the use of a partial reflective coating.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating the auxiliary eyeglass frameattached to a conventional eyeglass frame with magnets alone.

FIG. 3 illustrates the connection of the auxiliary eyeglass frame byconvex recessed spherical magnets embedded in an appendage mating withsimilar concave extended spherical magnets embedded in the templeextension of a conventional eyeglass frame.

FIG. 4 illustrates an optional embodiment in which a clip formed on thebridge of the auxiliary eyeglass frame fits over and engages the bridgeon the conventional eyeglass frame.

FIG. 5 shows the embodiment of FIG. 4 mounted on a conventional eyeglassframe and including a variation of the partial reflective coatingillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken at 6—6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the useof tubular magnets.

FIG. 7 is another embodiment in which tubular magnets mate with tubularmagnets mounted on a conventional eyeglass frame.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of mounting the auxiliary eyeglass frame ona conventional eye glasses using concave/convex conical magnet.

FIG. 9 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 8 in which theconical/concave magnets are mounted in reverse.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view illustrating a tubular magnet engaging adome in a cylindrical magnet.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10 with the magnetsreversed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein is an improvement of the inventiondisclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,858 by the same inventoras in this application and is incorporated herein by reference.

A unique method and construction for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses 10to conventional eyeglasses 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3.Auxiliary eyeglasses 10 are most commonly tinted eyeglasses to convertconventional eyeglasses 12 to sunglasses but also can have differentprescription lenses. Auxiliary eyeglasses 10 has lenses 14 mounted in aframe 16 having appendages 18 extending rearward on either side of frame16. Conventional eyeglasses 12 have a frame 20 with a bridge 22 withtemple extensions 23 on either side of frame 20 for attaching temples 24to the frames.

In the auxiliary eyeglasses of the prior art magnets are either embeddedin frame 20 or in extension on auxiliary eyeglasses that extend over orabove the temple extensions 22 of the eyeglass frame 20. With the priorart constructions of magnets embedded in frames 20 the plane of themagnets is vertical or parallel to the lenses facilitating detachment ofthe auxiliary eyeglasses by a downward shearing force. To solve thisproblem the auxiliary eyeglasses of U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,207 proposedputting magnets in auxiliary eyeglass extensions that fit over or abovethe temple mounting extensions on the eyeglass frame. It was thoughtthat some support in addition to the magnets was needed to prevent theauxiliary eyeglasses from becoming detached. While this is asatisfactory solution it is not the best solution. The auxiliaryeyeglasses must be carefully positioned above the conventional eyeglassframe to be sure the extensions are above the temples.

The present invention not only provides a solution to the potentialdetachment or dislodging of auxiliary eyeglass frames 10 but simplifiesthe method of mounting the auxiliary eyeglass with minimum fuss. This isachieved by inserting magnets 26 in cylindrical sockets 28 in appendages18 attached to auxiliary eyeglass frame 16. Complementary magnets 30 aremounted in sockets 32 attached to conventional eyeglass frame 20 templeextensions 22. Preferably magnets 26 and 30 are at least fourmillimeters (4 mm) in diameter.

An important and critical feature of the invention is the orientation ofmagnets 26 and 30, which is shown more clearly in sectional view of FIG.3. Generally magnets have plane surfaces and axis. In this case magnets26 and 30 are shown as cylindrical having an axis 34 that is verticallyoriented and is approximately parallel to auxiliary frame 16 andconventional eyeglass frame 20. Magnets in auxiliary eyeglasses 10 haveconvex spherical shape 27 while magnets 30 have a mating concavespherical shape 31. This means the maximum magnetic attractive force isvertically oriented along axis 34.

Accordingly the maximum magnet force of magnets 26 and 30 is verticallyoriented to resist dislodging of auxiliary eyeglass frame 10 by adownward movement. In addition, magnets 26 are slightly recessed insockets 28 while magnets 30 extend slightly out of sockets 32 to matewith concave spherical magnets 26. It was found that by mounting magnets26 and 30 approximately 4 mm in diameter having a strong magnetic forcevertically oriented is sufficient to hold auxiliary eyeglass frame 10 inplace and prevent downward movement. Thus, auxiliary eyeglass frame 10is securely mounted on conventional eyeglasses 12 and will not easilydislodged by strenuous activity occurring in sports or exercising.

Shearing forces along interface 36 are minimal and would more likelycause conventional eyeglasses 12 to fall off the wearer before auxiliaryeyeglasses 10 would be dislodged. This construction not only improvesthe attachment of auxiliary eyeglasses 10 but also makes it easy forthem to be mounted as illustrated in FIG. 2. Auxiliary eyeglasses 10 canmerely be brought up to conventional eyeglasses 12 with a slight upwardmotion until magnet 26 is attracted to magnet 30 and locks in place.Thus, they can easily be oriented and mounted on conventional eyeglasses12 without the need to remove conventional eyeglasses from the wearer.

A variation is shown in FIG. 4 in which the magnets 26 and 30 aremounted in reverse. That is, magnets 26′ in sockets 28 are convexspherical 27′ while magnets 30′ in sockets 32 are concave spherical 31′.In both FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 embodiments, the cylindrical magnet having theconcave spherical surface 30 or 26′ extends out of the respective socket32 or 28 but the reverse would work as well that is the cylindricalmagnets with the concave spherical surface 26 and 30′ would extend outof the respective sockets 28 and 32.

Another optional but preferred feature of the invention is the inclusionof rearward reflecting coating 15 and a portion of the rear side ofauxiliary lenses 14. Preferably reflective coating 15 is provided on anouter portion or quadrant of auxiliary lenses 14. Of course thereflective coating could be on the lenses of conventional eyeglass frame12 but is less desirable because the lenses in the conventional eyeglassframe would generally be clear prescription lenses. Reflective coatingscan cover from one-forth to one-third of lenses 15 and provide aneffective rear view mirror.

Optionally the reflective coating could be as shown in FIG. 5. In thiscase, reflective coating 15′ would be on only on upper portion of anouter quadrant of lenses 14 covering perhaps fifteen to twenty percentof lenses 14.

To mount the auxiliary eyeglasses 10 of FIGS. 1 through 4, they areplaced against the conventional eyeglasses 12 and slid gently upwarduntil concave spherical surface of magnet 26 mates with convex sphericalsurface of magnet 30 or vice versa with respect to the embodiment ofFIG. 4.

Other embodiments utilizing a unique combination of magnets to securelymount auxiliary eyeglasses on conventional eyeglasses are illustrated inFIGS. 6 through 11. These embodiments illustrate the wide variety ofshapes and sizes of magnets that may be used for mounting auxiliaryeyeglasses 10 on conventional eyeglasses 12. In FIG. 6, magnets having atubular center post 36 in sockets 38 mate with tubular magnet 40 thatextend from sockets 42. Again the arrangement could be reversed ifdesired. Tubular magnets 36′ can extend and tubular magnets 40 could berecessed. This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 7.

Another alternate but preferred feature of the invention is illustratedin FIGS. 8 and 9. This embodiment not only improves the mounting ofauxiliary eyeglasses 10′ on conventional eyeglass frames 12′ and alsoimproves the aesthetic appearance. This embodiment improves theappearance of the magnets in the conventional eyeglass frame 12′ bycovering the exposed surface with a protective and decorative coating ofmaterial 50 which can be configured to be complementary or exactly matchthe color and appearance of the conventional eyeglass frames 12′. Thuswhen auxiliary eyeglass frames 10′ are removed from conventionaleyeglass frames 12′, the magnets in the sockets are not clearly visible.This is not possible with the arrangement in which the magnets mateabove the conventional eyeglass frame 12′. When the auxiliary eyeglassframes 10′ are removed the magnets would be visible.

The unique and important improvement of using a wide variety of magnetsis illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In these embodiments the furthersignificant improvement described previously is achieved to assuresecure attachment and alignment of auxiliary eyeglass frames 10′ withconventional eyeglass frames 12′. To assure proper alignment and secureattachment, cylindrical concave conical magnets 126 in sockets 28 arerecessed while cylindrical convex magnets 130 in sockets 32 arerecessed. Thus when auxiliary frames 10′ are pressed againstconventional eyeglass frames 12′ with a gentle upward movement,alignment is insured by recessed magnets 126 slipping into and seatingin recess in auxiliary eyeglass sockets 28 as shown in FIG. 8. Magnets126 in sockets 28 are covered with a protective and decorative coatingmaterial 50 as previously described to improve the aesthetic appearanceand conceal the magnets.

Of course, either of sockets 28 or 30 could contain the recessed magnetswhile the other complementary socket could have the extended or raisedmagnet as shown in FIG. 9. Raised convex conical magnets 126′ andconcave conical magnets 130′ on the auxiliary eyeglass are merely shownto illustrate the construction and arrangement that improves alignmentand provides a more secure attachment of auxiliary eyeglass frames 10′on primary or conventional eyeglass frames 12′. The lip or surface ofrecess in socket 32 provides additional support for the auxiliaryeyeglass frames to prevent the auxiliary eyeglass frames from moving ina horizontal direction. The construction and arrangement provides notonly a secure and very efficient method of attaching auxiliary eyeglassframes 10′ to main or conventional eyeglass frames 12′ but providesautomatic alignment and makes attachment much easier.

Another embodiment illustrating the wide variety of magnet shapes thatmay be used is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. In FIG. 10 magnets 226 insockets 28 are cylindrical and have a dome or boss 227 that fits intothe interior of tubular magnets 230 which may extend out of sockets 32.In FIG. 11 the magnets are reversed. Magnets 230′ in sockets 32 arecylindrical and have a dome or boss 231 while magnets 226′ in sockets 28are tubular and extend out of the sockets.

These embodiments in FIGS. 3 through 11 illustrate the wide variety ofshapes and configurations that are possible. Other shapes such asrectangular, square, oval, or triangular are also possible. Further themagnets may both be permanent magnets or only one side could bepermanent magnet while the other is a material known as a “soft” magnet(i.e., a material that can exhibit magnetism). The term “magnet” canmean either.

For most sports activities and exercising the construction disclosed anddescribed herein is sufficient to mount auxiliary eyeglasses 10 onconventional frames 12. The key feature here is the orientation and ofmagnets 26 and 30 so that the maximum magnetic attractive force alongtheir axis (i.e. poles) 34 is vertically oriented or parallel withconventional eyeglass frame 20. In an optional but preferred embodimentthe magnets form a recess in the sockets on either the auxiliaryeyeglass frames or the conventional eyeglass frames while the magnetsare slightly raised in the complementary sockets. This improves andassists in aligning the auxiliary eyeglass frames on the conventionaleyeglass frames and also provides more secure attachment by hinderinghorizontal movement. In most cases only a substantial shearing forceparallel to the interface between magnets 26 and 30 could dislodgeauxiliary eyeglasses 10 but then that force would probably dislodgeconventional eyeglasses 12 from the head of the wearer.

Thus there has been disclosed novel and unique methods for attachingauxiliary eyeglass to conventional eyeglasses. In one embodiment,magnets having a variety of shapes and orientations such that theirmaximum magnetic force is vertical or parallel with conventionaleyeglass frame is sufficient to hold the auxiliary eyeglasses securelyon the conventional eyeglasses.

In another preferred embodiment of a combination of auxiliary eyeglassesincludes a partial reflective coating providing rearview mirror for thewearer of the conventional eyeglasses. A reflective coating is providedon an outer quadrant of a rear surface of auxiliary eyeglass lenses.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in thedrawings and described in the description which is given by way ofexample and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope ofthe appended claims.

1. Apparatus for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventionaleyeglasses comprising: a plurality of magnets having shaped surfacesmounted on said conventional eyeglasses; a plurality of magnets havingcomplimentary shaped surfaces mounted to said auxiliary eyeglasses formating beneath said plurality of magnets on said conventionaleyeglasses; a reflective coating on a portion of a surface of saidconventional or auxiliary eyeglasses to facilitate a rearward view of awearer; whereby said plurality of magnets on said auxiliary eyeglasseswhen mated beneath said plurality of magnets on said conventionaleyeglasses provides resistance to downward movement of said auxiliaryeyeglasses thereby preventing said auxiliary eyeglasses from detachingfrom said conventional eyeglasses.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 inwhich said reflective coating is on a rear side of the lenses of saidauxiliary eyeglasses.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which saidreflective coating is on an outer quadrant of a rear surface of saidauxiliary eyeglasses.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which saidreflective coating covers no more than about one-third of the surface ofsaid auxiliary eyeglass lenses.